Faculty and staff members from the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, and Saint John's University, Collegeville, were honored at the Academic Affairs Awards and Recognition Ceremony May 7 at the Alumni Lounge, SJU.

In addition to recognition for years of service, promotions, contributions as department chairs and leaders, the following awards were presented:

S. Mary, a noted biologist who was a 1933 graduate of CSB, served students at CSB and SJU for more than 35 years with intelligence, dedication and affection. The difference S. Mary made in her lifetime of teaching at CSB is celebrated through the recognition each year of a faculty member who represents the best teaching and learning at CSB and SJU. S. Mary served as president of CSB from 1963-68. This award has been presented yearly since 1995.

Schaller, who has taught at CSB and SJU since 1996, was a leader in the development of the chemistry department's new curriculum, which uses a combination of Problem-Based Learning and Process Ordered Guided Inquiry Learning in his classes. He works to establish a cooperative learning environment in which students process information as they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. He has moderated the laboratory research of over 30 students, and was the author of a series of online textbooks for the department's introductory and three reactivity classes, which replace traditional textbooks that students purchase.

Robert L. Spaeth Teacher of Distinction Award:Karen Erickson, professor of modern and classical languages

This award is named in honor of Spaeth, who served as dean at SJU for nine years in addition to service as a professor of liberal studies from 1979 until his death in 1994. Each year, Spaeth's commitment to excellent teaching is remembered by honoring a faculty member who brings a special passion and mastery to the classroom and the learning community. This award has been presented yearly since 1995.

Erickson, who has taught at CSB and SJU since 1987, received the Burlington Northern Faculty Achievement Award in 1990 in recognition of her outstanding teaching. Students, then and now, are quick to praise her enthusiasm and skill in the classroom. She has the ability to help students understand that they need to improve, how to improve and why the improvement is worth the work it will take, which is a great teaching and mentoring skill.

The Linda Mealey Teacher-Scholar Award is given annually to a faculty member who exemplifies demonstrated excellence in scholarship as well as teaching, conducts student/faculty collaborative research or creative work and excels in the mentoring of students. The award, which was established as the Teacher-Scholar Award in 2000, was renamed for Mealey in 2004. Mealey, who had received the award in the spring of 2002, passed away in November 2002.

Jones, who has taught at CSB and SJU since 2004, has supervised over 30 undergraduate students' research projects since 2005, and as served as the Chemistry Undergraduate Research program Coordinator since 2008. He has published two separate laboratory research papers with students as co-authors. Jones has also received a National Science Foundation grant to fund research with a collaborator at Montana State University, which allows him to take two CSB and SJU students to Montana State to perform six weeks of summer research before returning to CSB and SJU to complete their summer research work.

This award recognizes a member of the CSB and SJU faculty whose work has been especially important to gender education development. S. Linda, CSB's vice president for academic affairs from 1977-85 and a professor emerita of education, was a pioneer in the colleges' earliest efforts to integrate gender into the curriculum.

Kraemer, who has taught at CSB and SJU since 2001, has an impressive record of research, publications and presentations focusing on gender. She has developed and teaches courses at the intersection of gender studies and peace studies. Kraemer consistently incorporates gender perspectives into her courses wherever it is relevant, and addresses the global and intercultural dimensions of gender in a way that helps students go beyond the limitations of "how does this affect me" thinking.

This award is given for effective electronic pedagogy and is named in honor of Creed, the late professor of psychology at CSB and SJU and founder and first director of the Learning Enhancement Service. Two educators have been selected to share the award this year.

Stonestreet, who has taught at CSB and SJU since 2008, has utilized "clicker technology" - the use of electronic clickers to instantly poll students' responses to questions - in her classes to encourage active participation among all students. She has structured this technology so that students interact with classmates and the questions, which encourage active thinking and reasoning.

Thamert, who has taught at CSB and SJU since 1984, has a long history of integrating technology into language teaching and learning. He explores ways to use technology to allow students easier access to more content and to help instructors generate timely and helpful feedback to students' work. Thamert's use of technology utilizes multiple approaches and mediums.